• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2024

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between clinical assessment scales, self-assessment scales, and surface electromyography (SEMG) for facial nerve palsy. Methods: This study assessed 32 cases of facial nerve palsy on the first visit, 11 cases on the second visit, and 9 cases on the third visit to the Korean medicine hospital, university. This study was conducted from October 22, 2022, to December 22, 2022. The patients were evaluated using SEMG, clinical assessment scales, and self-assessment scales 3 times. The House-Brackmann grading systems (HBGS), Yanagihara unweighted grading system (Y-score), facial disability index, numerous rating scale, and accompanying symptoms of facial nerve palsy were used for assessment. Moreover, statistical correlation was analyzed using Pearson correlation. Results: On Visit 1, Significant correlations were observed between the results of SEMG and other clinical assessment scales as well as between SEMG-F (frontalis) and different parts of the Y-score. On Visit 2, significant correlations were observed between the results of SEMG and HBGS as well as between SEMG-F and the detailed parts of the Y-score. On Visit 3, significant correlations were observed only between SEMG-F and the detailed parts of the Y-score. A significant correlation was also observed between the changes in the clinical assessment scales on Visits 1 and 3 and between the changes in SEMG-F and those in the patient self-assessment scales. Conclusion: These findings suggest that SEMG can be used to evaluate facial nerve palsy in conjunction with the use of other clinical assessment scales.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.107-116
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• 2013

Objjectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between surface electromyography(SEMG) and assessment scales for facial palsy. Methods : The subjects for this study were 21 patients who had peripheral facial nerve palsy. We analyzed about the correlation between the results of SEMG and facial nerve assessment scales that were carried out at the same time. The assessment scales used in this study were House-Brackmann scale, Yanagihara grading system, Sunnybrook facial grading system. Results : There are considerable correlation between the results of SEMG and the results of three kinds of assessment scales for facial nerve palsy. Conclusions : SEMG may be an objective examination for facial nerve palsy. Some research aimed at development of SEMG examination guideline for facial nerve palsy will be needed after this. And we expect that many researches for development of diagnostic equipments or treatment equipments that utilize SEMG will proceed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.83-93
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• 2013

Objectives To present reviews of studies comparing surface-electromyography (SEMG) values between low back pain group and control group. Methods We searched 8 databases including KoreaMed, Google, KISS (Korean studies Information Service System), RISS (Research Information Sharing Service), OASIS (Oriental medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System), Pubmed, Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE. After searching, we conducted study selection by using inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality-assessment. We reviewed the selected studies concerning about the subject's measuring position, findings, sensitivities and specificities. Results 27 Studies were searched and reviewed. In static surface electromyography, more muscle activities observed in low back pain subjects than in controls. In dynamic surface electromyography, the low back pain subjects showed more muscle activites during flexion, while the control group showed more muscle activities during extension. Faster muscle fatigue observed in isometric muscle analysis. Conclusions Surface electromyography values will be able to be objective marker for evaluating low back pain. Further research is needed to determine additional unified protocol such as the type of SEMG and its directions.

• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.84-90
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• 2018

Objective: To assess the correlation between surface electromyography (SEMG) and conventional EMG in patients with facial nerve palsy. Additionally, compare the discomfort and the time required by the patients in two methods. Method: 36 patients with facial palsy were given nerve conduction studies (NCS) via conventional EMG. Then, the peak root mean square (RMS) values were obtained from the SEMG. We also recorded visual analogue scale (VAS), House-Brackmann scale, and the time required for the examination. Results: Pearson's correlation coefficient between the amplitude loss ratio of the RMS values obtained by SEMG compared to the unaffected side (RSEMG) and the amplitude loss ratio of CMAP amplitudes compared to the unaffected side (RCMAP) was 0.567 at the frontalis, 0.456 at the orbicularis oculi, 0.393 at the nasalis, and 0.437 at the orbicularis oris. An increase in RSEMG is positively correlated with an increase in RCMAP. The mean VAS score with conventional EMG was $3.55{\pm}1.42$, whereas that experienced when using SEMG was $0.11{\pm}0.52$ and the mean time required for conventional EMG was $610{\pm}103.84$ seconds, while that required for SEMG was $420{\pm}86.32$ seconds. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between facial muscle activities as measured by SEMG and conventional EMG in patients with facial nerve palsy. SEMG has the benefits of being more comfortable and faster when diagnosing facial palsy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2022

Background: This retrospective study aimed to determine whether there were correlations between the number and type of accompanying symptoms of peripheral facial nerve palsy, and surface electromyography (SEMG) and clinical assessment scales to help diagnosis. Methods: There were 30, cases of peripheral facial nerve palsy at Visit 1 to the Korean Medicine Hospital, Dong-eui University, 22 cases at Visit 2 and 10 cases at Visit 3. The study period was from July 19, 2021 to November 31, 2021. Symptoms were evaluated three times (with two-week intervals which began 7 days from onset) using SEMG, clinical assessment scales and accompanying symptoms. In this study, the House-Brackmann grading system (HBGS), and the Yanagihara's unweighted grading system (Y-score) clinical assessment scales were used. The Pearson or Spearman correlation was used for statistical analysis. Results: On Visit 1, the number of accompanying symptoms of peripheral facial nerve palsy had no significant correlation with other measures. On Visits 1-3, the HBGS score had a significant negative correlation with the Y-score. On Visit 2, most of the mean values measured had significant correlations with each other although not between SEMG-Z and SEMG-O that Z means a zygomaticus muscle and O means a orbicularis oris muscle. On Visit 3, the number of accompanying symptoms significantly correlated with the clinical assessment scales. The HBGS score, Y-score, and SEMG measurements (except SEMG-Z) had significant correlations with each other. A significant positive correlation between SEMG-Z and SEMG-T was noted. Conclusion: We predict accompanying symptoms can be used to diagnose the peripheral facial nerve palsy including both clinical assessment scales and SEMG measurements at 2-5 weeks after onset.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2015

Purpose : This study aimed to prove that surface electromyography(SEMG) can be used to identify the degree of symptoms of diseases in the upper extremities; it also aimed to confirm various potential therapeutic effects through an inquiry into the value measured by the SEMG on certain acupuncture points in the upper extremities. Methods : Fifty healthy people received instructions for the method of exercise: wrist flexion, extension and hand grasping. Disposable electrodes were attached to acupuncture points of Susamni($LI_{10}$), Naegwan($PC_6$), Oegwan($TE_5$) and below Sohae($HT_3$) two cun on both sides in flexion, extension and grasping to measure the SEMG values. The research results were analyzed using SPSS statistics Ver. 22.0(IBM, USA). Results : The average value was highest on Naegwan($PC_6$) in grasping, and the average SEMG value was higher in the order of grasping, extension and flexion. The asymmetry index of each point was Susamni($LI_{10}$) $16.26{\pm}13.59%$, Oegwan($TE_5$) $20.38{\pm}15.59%$, below Sohae($HT_3$) two cun $20.89{\pm}16.77%$, Naegwan($PC_6$) $22.49{\pm}14.91%$ in wrist extension, Susamni($LI_{10}$) $25.99{\pm}21.44%$, Oegwan($TE_5$) $21.15{\pm}15.94%$, below Sohae($HT_3$) two cun $19.62{\pm}15.46%$, Naegwan($PC_6$) $19.93{\pm}16.85%$ in wrist flexion, Susamni($LI_{10}$) $16.60{\pm}12.21%$, Oegwan($TE_5$) $10.94{\pm}8.29%$, below Sohae($HT_3$) two cun $15.20{\pm}12.60%$, Naegwan($PC_6$) $11.68{\pm}7.77%$ in grasping. Conclusions : In this study, to identify the degree of symptoms of diseases in the upper extremities and confirm therapeutic effects, it is necessary to analyze the calculated percentage and compare the SEMG measurement of special points with those of other points, and with the asymmetry index.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.93-100
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• 2016

Objectives : To find an acupuncture point where more exact Surface Electromyography(SEMG) measurement can be drown, through the study of measurement of orbicularis oris. Methods : Of healthy people from 19 to 40 years of age, who did not fall under exclusion criteria (22 males and 22 females), were selected as subjects, after relaxation for 10 minutes, and they were told how to pronounce 'O' and 'U' with their lips puckered. The SEMG figures were measured with attaching disposable electrode on acupuncture point of right-and-left Hwaryo(LI19) and 1 cun away from Seungjang(CV24) on both sides when the subjects pronounced 'O' and 'U'. Results : The average value was highest on left 1 cun away from Seungjang(CV24) in pronouncing 'O' and 'U', and the average SEMG value was higher in the order of right 1 cun away from Seungjang(CV24), right Hwaryo(LI19), left Hwaryo(LI19). Average of the lower orbicularis oris is statistically higher than that of the upper orbicularis oris, which has significant meaning. However, there was no significant difference when compared by pronunciation. Average of percentage mark of differences of right-and-left measured value of each pronunciation and each acupuncture point : Pronounced 'O' and the upper part of orbicularis oris: $16.76{\pm}11.29%$, pronounced 'O' and the lower part of orbicularis oris: $22.41{\pm}12.92%$, pronounced 'U' and the upper part of orbicularis oris: $17.10{\pm}9.89%$, pronounced 'U' and the lower part of orbicularis oris : $19.20{\pm}10.82%$. Conclusion : The difference of pronunciation will not affect the results in SEMG measurement. In addition, the average of the lower orbicularis oris is statistically and significantly higher than that of the upper orbicularis oris.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2005

To compare the effects of forward walking and backward walking on surface electromyographic analysis of quadriceps muscles at treadmill grades of 0%, 5% and 10%, subjects were randomized to eleven athletics (5 females, 6 males), with a mean age of 17.8 years, and a SD of 4.66 years. The values of the surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) were measured during forward walking and backward walking on a treadmill at grades of 0, 5 and 10%. The subjects walked for approximately 10 seconds at 4.0 km/h. The data were analyzed by repeated measuring of the two-way ANOVA and analyzed by a paired t-test between forward walking and backward walking. The SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL and VMO were the highest when both the forward walking and backward walking increased incrementally for treadmill grades of 0% to 10%, but the VMO/VL ratio had no significant changes. The SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL and VMO were significantly different between directions. However, SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL, VMO and VMO/VL ratio did not show significant difference among the treadmill grades. No statistically significant interactions were detected between the direction of walking and treadmill grade. Backward walking on the treadmill at 4 km/h and grades of 0%, 5%, 10% elicited a greater SEMG activity on the quadriceps muscles than did forward walking under the same conditions. The results suggest that the quadriceps may be effectively activated by performance at treadmill grades of 10%. This investigation confirms that backward walking up an incline may place additional muscular demands on individuals.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.541-547
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study is to find the influence on muscle fatigue by changing an angle of neck while Shaker exercise. Background: Shaker exercise is commonly applied to dysphagia patients for strengthen suprahyoid muscle(SHM) and relaxing upper esophageal sphincter. Method: Experiments were conducted by measuring muscle fatigue with surface electromyography(SEMG) in case of neck $15^{\circ}$ and $50^{\circ}$ flexion, in addition to original method. For the study 30 undergraduate students were participated as subjects. Muscle fatigue was measured with variations of median frequency(MF) and median frequency slope(MFS) by attaching SEMG to 3 muscles. At the same time, perceived exertion was measured by using Borg's rating of perceived exertion(RPE). Results: A MF was increased when low angle in SHM, both male and female. It means that muscle fatigue was significantly decreased(p<.05). RPE was significantly increased when low angle(p<.01). Perceived exertion explained 15.2% of the variation of MF in SHM. And regression equation was, MF in SHM = 59.918 + (4,910 * RPE). Conclusion: The outcome shows that it is possible to use the efficient method which makes muscle fatigue decrease by reducing the angle of neck flexion. Application: The results might contribute to develop the effective Shaker exercise method.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.105-112
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• 2015

Objectives To investigate clinical effects of needle embedding acupuncture treatments for chronic low back pain patients. Methods 30 patients with chronic low back pain were recruited and randomized into two groups-the embedding acupuncture group or the placebo. At baseline, the age, height, weight, visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were measured. And surface electromyography (SEMG) data of both erector spinae at L2, L4 level were also measured on both groups and asymmetry index (AI) were calculated. The embedding or placebo acupuncture treatment was performed on the erector spinae according to SEMG values; immediately after the first evaluation and 48 hours after the first visit. After 96 hours of intervention, the VAS, ODI score and SEMG of both erector spinae were measured again. Statistical significance was determined using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test or the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results The mean VAS, ODI score after treatment was decreased significantly compared with baseline on both groups. And the VAS, ODI score and AI of the embedding acupuncture group was more decreased significantly than the placebo (p<0.05). Conclusions The results suggest that embedding acupuncture for chronic low back pain patients was effective on the VAS pain score, ODI score and AI of the erector spinae.